Round 13 - 10 August 2024

Round 13 and another welcome break from the rain this week.  We had a very warm match in Busselton!  It’s getting to the pointy end of the Season, and the FIFA teams are eyeing off the Ladder with an aim to take out top spot, while our Mini-Roos are enjoying showing off their ever growing skills and kicking goals.

U6 Warriors

Super sunny, super fast, super fun! 

Round 13 welcomed the U6 FMR Warriors and BCFC Wildcats for a showcase of skills and goals. The teams were well-matched for a close, actioned packed game with plenty of play at both ends of the pitch, making it a fun experience for all as everyone enjoyed numerous opportunities to get their boots on the ball. It was a high-cardio game for the Warriors with only 1 substitute, which meant the kids were busy running non-stop, covering every inch of the pitch. Efforts were rewarded with numerous goals being scored as a result of team work which consisted of multiple passes, dribbling, calling for the ball, moving into space and weaving the ball through the opposition to result in a score! We acknowledged Clayton and Georgia as our Players of the Day for their fabulous goals, great passing to team mates and fast running. A huge thank you to the awesome team at our local LJ Soccer Academy for sponsoring us for our Round 13 vouchers! The kids love participating in your many opportunities for football development in our community! Well done to all our Warriors for another brilliant round of football!

U7 The Messi Kids

Today's game was a home game Messi Kids vs the Dunsborough Comets. With beautiful weather first thing this morning made perfect conditions for a game of soccer.

The Messi Kids had a good challenge against Dunsborough Comets as they put the pressure on. With good defence demonstrated by the Messi Kids along with teamwork resulted in a good even match. 

The two lucky Players of the Match, Kobby and Malakai for their ongoing determination and defence skills. They received a voucher to "Ninjas" and "Witchy Pies". Shout out to Ninjas and Witchy Pies for the generous vouches. 

U8 Raptors

The boys came to play in their game against Capel Wolves. It was an evenly matched, hard fought game in the first half. Torin worked hard defending the goal and Coe ran everywhere in defence and attack. The boys did some effective attacking in the second half with Jay, Arlo, Louis and Cohen having many strikes on goal. Bodhi and Nate were our defensive super stars holding their positions well and pushing the ball forward. Congratulations to Louis and Cohen for players of the day with thanks to Temper Temper for their support. 

U8 Rovers

It was a perfect day for a game of soccer and the U8 Rovers hosted GMAS Tornadoes. After a slow start to the second half of the season the boys were determined to put on a show.

Mason kicked it off with a great goal followed up shortly by Parker. Matty stood strong in goals backed up nicely by Ari and Sailor who once again were a fortress in defence.

The boys gameplay and execution was solid, showing they’ve been listening to coach Kylie at training and taking on instructions.

The second half continued much like the first with some excellent passing to space and advantage leading to Reef and Matty both finding the back of the net. Defence was again solid rarely letting the ball past the halfway line.

PODs to Mason for his excellent work in midfield and as striker and always looking up to find his teammates and Parker who was solid in striker and helped out all over the pitch even putting his hand up for goalie. Special thanks to Knox and Sonny from the MR Legends for stepping in for the tornadoes to make up the numbers.  With thanks to Squid Lips and Witchy Pies

U8 Legends XI

Legends 11 took on Vasse Kingsnakes at home. It was an absolute nail biter from start to finish, with all the excitement of an olympics final. The team left nothing out on the field and ended up on top thanks to some sharp passing and a great goal from Parker. Thank you to Parker, Reef and Theo for stepping in and helping out. POD went to Delasi and Jangchub for great goal keeping and game awareness.

U9 Strikers

On this Sunny Saturday the Strikers versed the Dragons in an energy fuelled match where the tension and excitement were running high.

Jahla was the goalie during the first half, protecting the goal.

The energy continued during the 2nd half with tough competition throughout. Anouk contributed to passing, Arlo kept his eye on the ball, Jake showed strategic defence, while the others occupied the pitch with clever spreading of players

The player of the day went to Josh for his exceptional passing and tracking skills. We would like to thank our sponsor, Squidlips for the voucher and their valuable support.

U9 Wasps

The Wasps were alive and ready to play today. An all Margs battle. With both teams evenly matched and with numerous shots at goals. The Wasps had a successful match. The Coaches had a hard time deciding the players of the day, but chose Mille and Harvey. Both played an amazing game. Great defending and constant running. Well done. 

U9 Dragons

The sun came out today for a welcome reprieve from rainy football Saturdays, as the FMR Dragons met a fellow U9 FMR team, the Strikers. The perfect conditions had both teams ready and raring to go!

The Dragons put on a brilliant performance, remaining focused and putting persistent pressure on the Strikers for the duration of the match. We were strong in defence and our goalkeepers Connor and Fred were able to keep a clean sheet for the match. It is great to see the kids developing their confidence in this vital position on the team, and putting their hands up to give it a go. The Striker’s goalie also should be commended for holding his nerve and making some epic saves when faced with a constant goal attack from the Dragons.  Our hard earned players of the day today were Connor and Finley. Thanks to Burger Baby and Two Cracks Coffee for our generous vouchers!

U9 Serpents

WOW what a game!!  The two evenly matched Margaret River teams the Serpents and the Wasps went head to head on a fine Saturday morning with the Wasps going into attack early but the only thing keeping them from scoring was the exceptional goal keeping skills of the Serpents. Accurate passing and superb ball handling from both teams was spectacular to watch, with the Wasps eventually scoring first up. After several attempts the Serpents struck back and scored a beauty but the Wasps put the sting on and scored consecutively. A lot of fun was had by both teams as was shown from the smiling faces that walked off the pitch.  Players of the day went to Jayden Hangartner and Oscar Lyall.

U10 Storm

U10s Storm had a game that kept them running the whole field against the Dunsborough Raptors this week. We saw some great defence, goal keeping & passing. Our teamwork and forwards scored some goals. Our POD went to Kynan Taylor, with thanks to Ninja’s in Motion.

U11 Stars

The U11 Stars had a tough job ahead of them in Saturday's game against BCFC Blades. Knowing they were up against such a strong team meant they had to keep their spirits up and challenge the opposition as confidently as possible. The Stars showed impressive resilience and sportsmanship throughout. 

Their determination and 'never give up' attitude meant that they scored two goals in the second half.  It was lovely to see the players encourage each other throughout this challenging game. 

Player of the day went to goalkeeper Freddy Dargue, who was kept very busy. He maintained focus and deflected many attempts at the goal. 

U12 Wyverns

The Wyverns played Busselton Blazes on Saturday keen to test their skills against the team who thumped them 18 - 0 in the season opener. This time around the Wyverns improved skills, team awareness and strength in defence ensured the loss was minimal.

It was a great measure of how far this team have come under the tutelage of coach Gary Leigh and the boys can proudly hold their heads high. Their intensity in the first 15 minutes silenced the confident opposition and whilst the Wyverns still have a lot to learn they are starting to believe in themselves and each other.

Man of the Match went to Benji for his tenacity in goals and strength of tackling in defence and to Oscar for his skills with his left foot impacting the play in the midfield.

U13 Rockets

It was a pleasant morning at Barnard Park and the Rockets started the game, eager to show the top of the ladder that the competition was not over yet. And the match fast became a clash of titans.

The Rockets started strong, keeping shape and passing like the skilled players they are. It soon became clear it was a Rockets game. With fast passes and faster kicks, the team kept possession of the ball for majority of the first half.  Still, the Gladiators showed their fast attack abilities when they got hold of the ball.

A free kick, followed by a corner, slowed time a little. But both attempts hit our wall-like defence. At the end of the first half, and a 0-0 score, the match was still a guessing game.

The second half started with the team settled into a rhythm, continuing their pressure and quality football.  Coach asked for a more talk on the field to improve their chances at hitting the net.

It was astounding to watch how much the Rockets were putting on the field, making Gladiators scramble for a slight chance of getting the ball. One such rustle saw Hayden pushed down inside the box. You guessed it! Penalty, penalty, penalty!

Hayden got ready, the pitch went deadly quiet, a fantastic kick, followed by a fantastic defence from Gladiator’s goalkeeper. It wasn’t meant to be, yet.

Rockets capitalised on Gladiators mistakes, keeping the ball on their side. And you could hear coach Jason screaming ‘Man on Man!’ The team was in tune in clearly listening, keeping a strong campaign.

And that was when Hayden ran towards the goal, unselfishly passed to Kalani, who graciously rebounded with his face to Monty. And the only thing louder than the waves in the background, was the swishing sound of the net, which swayed as gracefully as Monty’s locks as he ran in celebration.

The team let out their breath, maybe a bit too much because the Gladiators came in with vengeance. The intensity of the game went up a notch, turning the game into a fast and intense dance the Rockets were keen to lead.

With the final whistle came the celebration and the knowledge the Rockets played their best game of the season to date. They wanted it more, and the end result was an amazing victory against the season favourite.

Coach Jason was right when he said he wished he could give POD to each one of them. The boys delivered a fantastic game, each and every player on the field did they bit for the team, from running non-stop, to passing and creating opportunities. Well-done Rockets it was an entertaining and heart stopping match to watch, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Congratulations Darcy, you were a force to reckon with on the field. Thank you to Burger Baby for the support.

U13 Warriors

The sun came out Saturday morning in Margaret River for our game against GMAS Phantoms. The Warriors picked out the driest patches of the pitch to play through, though they were really looking forward to having fun sliding in the mud.

We concentrated on a passing game, positioning well on and off the ball and working the ball forward. The back line used a combo of playing short and wide and sending balls deep, mixing it up to keep the opposition on their toes. The midfield transitioned the ball effectively, keeping the ball moving well, connecting through the centre of the pitch and using the wingers to drive the ball forward.

Playing forward, the goals were shared among the team. Luca scored a haul of four, and Declan, Catto, Sophia, and Angus also found the back of the net.

The players of the match were awarded to Anouk and Arlo. They are solid defenders. Anouk plays a physical game, laying strong tackles, while Arlo makes good decisions in defence and has good passing accuracy, playing out from the back.  Well, done, Warriors; we’re on another win this week.

U14 Tigers

I was looking forward to a good game, the sun was shining, everyone was ready. Dunsborough scored the first goal 1-0 Followed by another to make it 2-0

The Tigers unfortunately weren’t playing with their usual tempo….. then there was a bit of magic as Chloe and Luca combined to get through a couple of players with a slick one two to each other and Luca slotting at home for a lovely goal. Other than that it was uneventful. Chloe Willsher got a solo consolation goal in the second half but the score ended 7-2 to Dunsborough who played really well.   Players of the match were Charlie and Jahli

U14 Sharks

The FMR Sharks took on Dunsborough Roar this week.  The first half of the match was a close encounter. The Roar, low on players, were unable to maintain their intensity, and soon the opportunities started to fall the Sharks way.  After a few near misses Benji Willing mercifully put the Sharks on the score board, with the Sharks leading one goal to nil at half time.

The Sharks found a nice rhythm in the second half, making the most of their extra space and time, displaying neat ball control and some excellent passing.  Rainer de Vries had some clean strikes, scoring 2 goals. Kai Hillier (in his usual excellent form) made a mark on the scoreboard, along with Kelani Taylor and Felix Gibbs.

Felix Gibbs and Charlie Crimble-Hall both played a strong game defensively. Despite the Roar slipping one past the keeper, the Sharks claimed a decisive victory 6 goals to 1, with player of the day going to Kelani Taylor, thanks to Amaze’n for the POD voucher. 

U15 The Blaze

Seasiders got right down the business with a run through our defense off the opening pass.  Keeper Matty made a good save.  A great pass by Ollie L to Lisa set her up, but the keeper caught it. We got the rebound and Poom scored the opening goal. 

Scarlet, Ethan and Jarrah making opportunities happen, but not able to convert them. Lisa having a good game up front.  A Stirling shot was caught, but we got the rebound and pass from Stirling set Jay up beautifully who got it through the keeper.

William pass up from defense, Oliver M won the ball and passed to Stirling who banged it through for our third.  This was followed by a beautiful run up the line by Charlie and a shot off his left to give us our 4th.

Charlotte, Poom and Archie were putting in good effort.  Another William pass up to Stirling gave him a run, he drew the keeper out and slipped round him to score.  A Charlie pass up to Lisa to Ethan gave us another goal.

While it sounds like it was a one sided game, Seasiders were also having runs in their forward half, but our defensive pressure and great saves by Matty kept them scoreless.  Just before the half time whistle, Ethan chipped one over the keeper to give us our 7th.

First ball after the whistle and Stirling run up the pitch and popped another through.  Then Seasiders broke through our defense to score.  Next ball they had another go, but saved by Keeper Matty.

A Handball in the box gave Seasiders a penalty. Matty made a valiant try to save, but this gave them another.  A pass from Archie gave Jarrah a shot, but was just wide

Seasiders fouled Archie who got a free kick.  Beautiful kick which went into the box.  Both teams were trying to gain possession, and a set up by Stirling gave Archie a goal.  This led Seasiders Coach to yell out “Don’t foul their best player and make him angry” 😂😂

Seasiders Keeper was making some great saves, and the team didn’t let up all game.  Our next run forward the Keeper came out, and Jay had a clear shot, but didn’t go in.

Seasiders had the next chance with a great ball, but hit the top of the post which was unlucky for them.  Final whistle blew with a resounding win for The Blaze.

Coaches Myles and Fran were very happy with our game, with the first half the best we’ve played. Good passing. Good positioning. Finishing excellent. Calm and focused.  Teamwork makes the dream work.  Players of the Day went to Lisa and Archie.